At The Federation of The Annunciation Catholic Schools, the Design and Technology Curriculum intends to inspire and nurture pupils’ creativity and imagination, allowing the opportunity to develop understanding of the design process, and the skills involved in designing a product.  Pupils are then encouraged to apply this through the creation of product which solve problems.

It is our intention that children acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on skills learnt in mathematics, science, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, becoming resourceful and innovative. Through evaluation their designs, they develop a critical understanding of its impact and purpose.

Pupils explore the design process: making structures; using mechanisms and electrical controls and a variety of materials and foods.  They design purposeful, functional, appealing products for themselves and other users based on design criteria and generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through talking, drawing, templates, making prototypes and, where appropriate, information and communication technology.

During their time with us, children’s ability to think critically and understand design and construction should help them evaluate their products.  As their knowledge and understanding deepens, so does their confidence when experimenting, creating and inventing.

Pupils discover how past inventions have often offered a solution to relevant problems within a range of contexts and society; it is through evaluation of past and present design and technology that they develop a critical understanding of the impact this has had on daily life and the wider world.

Pupils, in turn, draw upon their own creativity and imagination to design and make products that also attempt to solve real problems, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.

Throughout their learning journey, from EYFS to Year 6, pupils acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on skills learnt in mathematics, science, computing and art to develop the design process.

Throughout their time at our school, pupils encounter various cross curricular links which deepen their understanding of these subjects and of art forms (for example making bridges when studying Rivers, or recreating the animals found in the canopy layers of the Amazon rainforest).

The curriculum has been developed and planned to focus and build upon the design process, making and evaluating, as well as providing pupils with the opportunity to apply these skills in the contexts of textiles (forming a cross curricular link with Art), construction and cooking and nutrition (forming a cross curricular link with Science and RHE).  Continued use of sketchbooks allows children to record, develop and annotate ideas.  This helps knowledge and understanding build between units and enables a child to have a bank of knowledge and reference points when working through the Design and Technology curriculum.  Sketchbooks allow children to track their own progress; refer to previous designs and techniques and continually adapt, improve and evaluate their work.  Sketchbooks move through the school with our children allowing them to make connections year on year by referring back to previous skills.

EYFS: We teach Design and Technology in Nursery and Reception as part of the topic work covered during the year and as set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework under ‘expressive arts and design’.  This underpins the curriculum planning for children aged three to five.  To help children make sense of the world they live in, we develop skills, knowledge and understanding through the Design and Technology curriculum.  This can include such experiences as: asking questions; investigating different tools; using construction kits and blocks.  Children are encouraged to explore, observe, solve problems (both indoors and outdoors) and discuss at all stages during their time in EYFS.

KS1: 
By experiencing a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage with the process of designing and making. Children begin by thinking who their product will be for and move on to think about design and how the product will work.  Design ideas are generated, developed and communicated through talking, drawing, using templates and prototypes.  When making their design, they are encouraged to select from a range of materials and tools according to their function.  Children develop the skills to explore and evaluate a range of existing products and evaluate their ideas and products against their design criteria.  They are also encouraged to use the basic principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare dishes and understand where food comes from.

KS2: 
By experiencing a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils are taught the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage with the process of designing and making. Children use research to develop design criteria to inform the design of products which are functional and aimed at particular groups.  Design ideas are generated, developed and communicated through discussion; annotated drawings; exploded diagrams; prototypes; pattern pieces and computer aided design.  When making their design, they are encouraged to select from a range of materials (including textiles, construction and ingredients) and tools according to their function and aesthetics. 

Children develop the skills to explore and evaluate a range of existing products and evaluate their ideas and products against their design criteria; considering strengths and weaknesses They are also encouraged to use and apply the principles of a healthy and varied diet to prepare mainly savoury dishes and understand seasonality and where ingredients come from.

Home learning: Pupils are continually encouraged to engage further with their learning and study while at home and outside of the school environment. Home learning is usually cross curricular and parents engage and support their children with homework where pupils create a piece which demonstrates their knowledge and understanding of techniques and approaches taught during the topic.